Music Practice Commons^™

The Eternal Cycle, Randall Snyder

Randall Snyder Compositions

For Flute, Clarinet in B-flat, Violin, Cello, and Soprano.

Duration: c. 4:00

Text by Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941).

"Veiled"

Rabindranath Tagore was born in Calcutta 1861 and died there 1941. He published poetry in Bengali and English and was awarded the Nobel Prize in literature for creating a synthesis of East and West. An all-around genius, Tagore was a composer of over 3000 songs as well as a distinguished painter. The Eternal Cycle, like much of his work, is suffused with spiritual ideas. The music incorporates some elements of classical Indian music, such as a drone, which sounds continuously through the …

The Loon, Randall Snyder

Randall Snyder Compositions

For Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, & Piano

Duration: 4:00

"Elegiac"

Poem by Marjorie Saiser

Loon populations have been declining significantly throughout their core range— mostly Canada and the northern tier of the United States—over the past 20 years, due in large part to mercury poisoning, acid rain, lead, and the rise of botulism in the Great Lakes region. Common loons are endangered in Vermont, threatened in New Hampshire and Michigan, and a species of special concern in New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts.

Interstices, Randall Snyder

Randall Snyder Compositions

"a small or narrow space between things or parts"

For Marimbas (2) & Vibraphones (2)

Duration c. 7:00

All performers will need hard and soft mallets; Vibraphone 2 will need bow.

Interstices features lattice-like textures with interlocking lines posited in stratified registers and syncopated rhythms suggestive of Be-bop amd Funk.

"Playful"

The Singing Conductor: Interviews On The Benefits And Limitations Of Choral Conductors And Teachers Continuing To Sing, Anne Carissa Gassmann

Glenn Korff School of Music: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Creative Work, and Performance

It is our duty as musicians, conductors, and teachers to continue developing our teaching and musicianship. One of the ways growth can occur is by singing regularly in ensembles outside of teaching. As one balances career and personal life, continuing to sing is a choice each must make. It is through this document that one may see the relevance of pursuing opportunities to sing, as it may inform and elevate one’s teaching and conducting. Eleven interviews were conducted with elementary, high school, and collegiate teachers and conductors, only half of them still singing in an ensemble. This document is intended …

Transcribing Astor Piazzolla's Works To Maximize Stylistic Fidelity: An Examination Of Three Saxophone Quartets With A New Transcription, Sarah L. Cosano

Glenn Korff School of Music: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Creative Work, and Performance

Astor Piazzolla is recognized as a pivotal figure who drew tango music onto an international stage. His output of written compositions and recordings provide a reference for studying tango. Though Piazzolla adapted a collection of flute etudes in 1988, he did not write specifically for saxophone during his lifetime. Saxophonists must instead rely on transcriptions of his music. Today, tango is a widely performed idiom for saxophone quartet.

Because of its tessitura, timbral variety, and flexibility, the saxophone is uniquely suited to perform tango music. This instrument has an expansive range when altissimo is included. Its written range spans from …

Reliquary, Randall Snyder

Randall Snyder Compositions

"For Walter Gray"

For Viola 1 & Viola 2

Program note: Reliquary was conceived as a memorial for a friend and mentor, It is cast in three sections that trace a progression from dark to light, slow to fast. The first minimalist section explores a continuously evolving seven-note sequence. This is followd by a more animated section that references Mozart's Piano Concerto No, 17, K. 453, one of many works introduced to me by my friend. The final section, marked "Volante" (flying), completes the psychological arc of the piece with a numinous feeling of acceptance.

Duration: c. 5:45